Arkansas Week April 25, 2014

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(i.d.) Show your card before voting? Maybe not, but it's not over. (P.O.) The Arkansas approach, are the numbers behind the numbers cause for concern? (Senate '14) Arkansas's marquee contest, has the incumbent found his footing? (A.C.A.) And could Obamacare, somehow, some way, have a role in it?

TRANSCRIPT

HELLO AGAIN EVERYONE. THANKS FOR JOINING US OR "ARKANSAS WEEK". VOTER ID NOT THIS TIME AROUND THOUGH OF COURSE AN APPEAL IS AUTOMATIC. MICHAEL HIBBLEN JOIN US US FROM KUAR WHERE HE IS NEWS DIRECTOR FOR CENTRAL ARKANSAS. LANCE TURNER AND PEST AND WITH THE ARKANSAS TIMES AND MICHAEL I HA AND HE COULDN'T HAVE KILLED IT DEADER WITHOUT A SHOTGUN I SUPPOSE.

JUDGE FOX FOR PULASKI COUNTY THAT PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR VOID AND THIS CASE HAD TO DO WITH ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND PROOF WITHOUT AN ID --

WHILE HE WAS AT IT.

WHILE HE WAS AT IT AND READ THROUGH AND DECIDED THIS WHOLE THING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. NAMELY BECAUSE IT HAS A REQUIREMENT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE BEYOND WHAT'S SPECIFIED IN THE CONSTITUTION. HE CITED CASE LAW THAT SAID ANY LEGISLATIVE ACTION TO ENACT VOTER QUALIFICATIONS OUTSIDE THE FOUR POINTS SPELLED OUT IN THE CONSTITUTION ISN'T CONSTITUTIONAL, SO HE ISSUED THIS RULING. THE CASE ITSELF HAD ORIGINATED FROM THE PULASKI COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION. IT WAS RESPONDED TO A DECISIA ROLE PUT IN PLACE BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE FAILED TO PUT IN A POLICY HOW TO HANDLE ABSENTEE VOTERS THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE THIS AND THE ELECTION COMMISSION FELT IT WASN'T THE PLACE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY THE LEGISLATURE AND THEY FILED THIS. THERE WAS ANOTHER CASE PENDING FILED A WEEK AGO. FIRST HEARING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WEEK FROM TODAY BUT JUDGE FOX WENT AHEAD AND ISSUED THIS RULING AND I'M NOT SURE THE STATUS OF THE OTHER CASE AT THIS POINT.

MUTE ERNIE?

WELL, THIS RULING WAS NOT UNANTICIPATED. IN FACT I THINK IT WAS WIDELY ANTICIPATED SINCE THE BILL WAS FILED, A YEAR AGO. IN FACT THE GOVERNOR VOTEED THE BILL BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL BASICALLY ON THESE GROUNDS BUT THIS PARTICULAR CASE WAS NOT ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY ABOUT THE PHOTO ID LAW, AS MICHAEL SAID, SIMPLY ABOUT SOME TECHNICAL ASPECTS. OBVIOUSLY IT HAD SOME WEAKNESSES. THERE WAS CONFUSION ABOUT ABSENTEE VOTERS WHAT VOTES SHOULD BE COUNTED AND THIS WAS TO SETTLE THOSE ISSUES BY RULES ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUT WHILE HE WAS AT IT IN EFFECT WHAT JUDGE FOX DID WAS GO BACK AND EMBRACE ALL THE ARGUMENTS IN THE LAWSUIT FILED BY THE AMERICAN CIVILES LIBERTIES UNION AND THE PUBLIC THTO ENTER SAYING THIS THS TI VOTE BEYOND IN THE CONSTITUTION SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN. THIS RULING WILL BE OBVIOUSLY APPEALS TO THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT PARTICULARLY THE INJUNCTION PART THAT YOU CAN'T ENFORCE IT DURING THIS ELECTION IN MAY BUT YOU HAVE THE OTHER CASE COMING NEXT WEEK IN WHICH ALL OF THE ARGUMENTS ARE ADVANCED. I GUESS HE WILL PRESUMABLY MAKE THE SAME RULING IN THAT CASE A WEEK FROM TODAY OR WHATEVER SO ANYWAY IT WILL BE A QUESTION FOR THE SUPREME COURT CAN THEY USE THIS PARTICULAR RULING TO THROW IT OUT? I THINK EVENTUALLY THEY WILL THROW OUT THE AMENDMENT SAYING IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL BUT THIS MAY NOT BE THE VEHICLE FOR THEM TO DO THAT.

IN OTHER WORDS A REMAND AND SAY WAIT A MINUTE YOU'RE RIGHT IN PART.

THAT COULD BE THEN THEY HAVE THE SECOND CASE COMING ALONG IN WHICH HE MAY ISSUE THE SAME INJUNCTION A WEEK FROM NOW OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND THAT CASE MIGHT RAISE THE ISSUE FOR THE SUPREME COURT TO UPHOLD THE WHOLE THING.

WHAT IS INTERESTING TO ME THE RULING SEEMS TO SAY OUTSIDE OF THE REGISTRATION PERIOD, 30 DAYS BEFORE YOU IT VOTE, YOU CAN'T PUT ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS ON A VOTER, SO IT WOULD SEEM TO ME TO REQUIRE A VOTER TO SHOW UP ON ELECTION DAY AND SHOW AN ID IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS IN ORDER TO VOTE THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. IT SEEMS LIKE HE'S SAYING THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN ADD THAT REQUIREMENT IS WITHIN REGISTRATION WINDOW 30 DAYS REC IT'S KIND IT THROWS THE QUESTION IF THE LEGISLATURE WANTS TO PROHAVE A LAW LIKE THAT HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

HE ADDRESSES THAT AND AMENDMENT 51 IN THE CONSTITUTION AND ADOPTED IN 1964 SPELLS OUT ALL OF THE PROCEDURES HOW YOU REGISTER TO VOTE, ALL OF THE QUALIFICATIONS AND HOW YOU GO - SPECIFICALLY HOW YOU REGISTER TO VOTE, BUT THEN SAYS AT THE END OF IT THAT SECTIONS FIVE THROUGH 16 OR WHATEVER CAN BE AMENDED BY THE CONSTITUTION -- BY THE LEGISLATURE BY A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF EACH HOUSE AS LONG AS THESE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS ARE IN SYNC WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE AMENDMENT, SO THE LEGISLATURE IF IT GOTTEN A 2/3 VOTE TO PASS THE BILL WHICH THEY DIDN'T THAT AMENDMENT MIGHT NOT HAVE HELD, SO IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. THEY COME BACK NEXT HERE AND TRY IT AGAIN AND GET A 2/3 VOTE WHICH THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO WITH A LARGER REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE BUT THESE QUESTIONABLE.

AND OF COURSE THERE WAS AN LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE -- MICHAEL -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY A CORNERSTONE BUT IMPORTANT IN THE PACKAGE.

AND YEAH SIMILAR LAWS HAVE BEEN PASSED AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH REPUBLICANS SAYING WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL FOR VOTER FRAUD. DEMOCRATS SAYING THIS IS A NON ISSUE. THERE FRAUD BEEN ANY WIDESPREAD AND IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO DISENFRANCHISE PEOPLE THAT VOTE DEMOCRATIC AND THE BACKERS OF THE BIGHT AND THE LEGISLATURE OBJECTED TO THIS AND THERE WERE MEMBERS THAT SAID THEY STRONGLY DISAGREED THAT THE LAW WAS UNENFORCEABLE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL MCDANIEL SAID IN FEBRUARY IT WAS NOT THE PLACE OF THE STATE ELECTION BOARD TO MAKE THIS RULE THAT IT NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE LAW, BUT HIS OFFICE SAID LAST NIGHT THEY ARE LOOKING AT THIS. THEY ANTICIPATE FILING AN A FEEL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE PRIMARY SCHEDULED FOR MAY 20 REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

AND THE POLITICS OF IT THAT FIGURED INTO IT TOO AS THE STATE REPUBLICAN CHAIR AMONG OTHERS DOUBTED PUBLICLY THE LEVEL OF BRIO THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WOULD BRING TO THE TASK OF MOWNTDING IT.

RIGHT AND IN OTHER CASES AS WELL. THIS IS THE SECOND PIECE OF REPUBLICAN LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN THROWN OUT OR I GUESS THROWN OUT BY THE COURT. YOU HAD THE ABORTION RULING IN MARCH, THE 12 WEEK ABORTION BAN THAT WAS DONE AWAY WITH AS WELL D BOTH CASES I THINK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS WONDERED TO WHAT DEGREE IS THE DEMOCRAT DUSTIN MCDANIEL GOING TO WORK WITH THESE CASES.

AND THE CHANGES TO THE REFERENDUM PROCESS AND THE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM PROCESS AND REPUBLICAN SPONSORED BILL -- IT HAS DEMOCRAT SUPPORT AS WELL AND THROWN OUT AS WELL SO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS TO DEFEND ALL OF THE STATUTES IN THE COURTS SO AND AS YOU SAY THE REPUBLICANS ARE WONDERING WHETHER HE CAN BRING HIS FULL ENTHUSIASM TO DEFEND THESE STATUTES.

IT WAS INTERESTING IN JUDGE FOX'S RULING THAT HE DID NOTE IT IS -- YOU KNOW IT'S A GOOD THING THAT THE LEGISLATURE G TH VOTICESS IS SECURE. THERE'S A LINE HERE THAT SPECIFICALLY SAYS -- IT'S NOT A BAD THING --

NO REASONABLE PERSON WOULD ARGUE.

YEAH SO THAT WAS AN INTERESTING SIDE NOTE.

SORT AND MICHAEL THE NUMBERS FOR BOTH I SUPPOSE OPPONENTS AND ADVOCATES IVATE OPTION AND COST MORE THAN PROJECTED. YOU CAN TAKE IT UP.

YEAH THIS WAS BROUGHT UP IN A HEARING THURSDAY BY THE JOINT E ND WE ARE LEARNING THAT COSTS ARE ABOVE PER PERSON -- ABOUT $20 OR SO PER MONTH ABOVE WHAT HAD BEEN EXPECTED. WE HAD RMREPRESENTAO WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WHO SAID THAT WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED. WE'RE ONLY FOUR MONTHS INTO THIS. THERE ARE CHANGES BEING IMPLEMENTED. THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS THAT STILL HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT AND DOWN, BUT SOME REPUBLICANS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAD OPPOSED THE PRIVATE OPTION ARE SAYING THAT THIS IS GOING TO END UP COSTING THE STATE A LOT MORE THAN THAT HAD BEEN WE'RE DOWN THE ROAD THE STATE PICKS UP MORE OF THE COST OF THIS, BUT OFFICIALS SAYING THINGS ARE BEING WORKED OUT, CHANGES ARE IN THE WORKS AND THIS IS AN ONGOING THING AND AS PROCESS THE EXPENSES WILL GO DOWN.

ANOTHER PIECE OF NEWS OF THAT BY 2015 YOU WILL HAVE COMPANIES IN THE STATE OFFERING INSURANCE PROGRAAND ANOTHER CONCERN IS THERE GOING TO BE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND CONTROL THE COSTS AND JAY BRAD FORD HOPEFUL TO THAT AND THE TWO OTHERS THAT DOES BUSINESS AND OPERATING AND OFFERING POLICIES IN EVERY COUNTY OF THE STATE, BUT THERE DOES SEEM TO BE -- THERE WILL BE A CONVERSATION DOWN THE ROAD IN TERMS IN THE POLICIES, THE BENCHMARK -- THE POLICY -- WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD POLICY.

MINIMUM.

MINIMUM COVERAGE REQUIREMENT AND HOW IT AFFECTS PRFOINCLUDES AND VISION PROGRAMS INVOLVED IN THIS. ALSO THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER SAID THERE MAYBE A FIFTH COMPANY THAT ENTERS THE STATE TO DO BUSINESS AND SAYING OVERALL THIS ISS MEANS THERE WI COMPETITION, LOWER PRICES, MORE OPTIONS.

BASICALLY AT THIS POINT IF I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY CORRECTLY THE BEEBE ADMINISTRATION, THE DEPARTMENAND INSURANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE ADVOCATES AND PARTICULARLY THE REPUBLICAN ADVOCATES AND WE'RE TINKERING AROUND THE EDGES AND FINE TUNING THIS PROGRAM AND HAVE THIS APPROACH AND GOOD NEWS TO THE CLINICAL COMMUNITY IN ARKANSAS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO RELIEF ERNIE.

I THINK SO. IT'S NEARLY ALL GOOD NEWS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT PUSHED THE PRIVATE OPTION AND THOSE THAT WENTN AND THE ADMINISTRATION I THINK ALMOST ALL TOGETHER GOOD NEWS. EXPANDED COMPETITION TO COVER ALL 75 COUNTIES NEXT YEAR PROBABLY. THE COSTS ARE WITHIN RANGE. 150,000 ENROLLED IN MED THAT'S ROUGHLY 150,000 PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE MONTHS AGO THAT NOW HAVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. GREAT NEWS FOR ALL OF THE HOSPITALS, THE HOSPITALS AND THE CLINICIAN HAPPY WITH THAT WHICH MEANS MUCH LOWER UNPURSE COST FOR THE HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE CARE FOR THE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS AND MOSTLY GOOD NEWS ONE OF THE CHIEF SPONSORS OF THE MEDICAID EXPANSION AND PRIVATE OPTION HE WAS HAPPY ABOUT IT ALL AND THINKS IT'S BEEN AMAZING SUCCESS.

OUT OF THAT NUMBER THAT ARE IT'S EXPECTED THAT MORE YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET INTO THIS. PART OF THURSDAY'S HEARING ALSO MENTIONED THAT IN OTHER STATES WHERE THIS IS BEING DONE THEY HAVE SEEN AS THE PROCESS GOES ALONG YOUNGER PEOPLETE LITTLE LATER IN THE PROCESS, AND IT'S EXPECTED THAT ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION ARKANSANS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS AND OUT OF THAT 155,000 AS ERNIE SAID HAVE SIGNED UP AT THIS GOOD POOL OF PEOPTHAT HAVEN'T BEEN SIGNED UP THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.

I EXPECT INTO THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR THERE WILL BE 200,000 PEOPLE AND PERHAPS 80% OR MORE OF THE UNINSURED OF THE POVERTY LINE SO WHEN THE LEGISLATURE ASSEMBLES NEXT YEAR I THINK THEY WILL FACE THAT ISSUE WITH NEARLY EVERYBODY COVERED AND IF YOU THROW ALL THOSE PEOPLE OUT OF HEALTH INSURANCE.

TO SHIFT GEARS EVER SO SLIGHTLY INTO THE PURELY POLITICAL ARENA. GREAT DEAL OF BACK AND FORTH THIS PAST WEEK OVER A NEWE INCUMBENT SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS THAT STANDS FOR REELECTION THIS YEAR MR. PRYOR THAT HAD WIDENED A LEAD THAT WAS SUGGESTED IN SEVERAL EARLIER POLLS AND CONDUCTED ONLYA FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THAT AND THERE WAS RUMBLING AND COMPLAINTS THAT IT WAS THOROUGH OR FLAWED AND PEOP ANECDOTALLY THAT THEY SENSE THINGS MOVING TOWARD MR. PRYOR THAN THEY WERE.

YEAH THIS WAS A PRETTY DRAMATIC POLL AND GOT A LOT OF NATIONAL DEBATE FROM PEOPLE QUESTIONING THE D THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION SHOWING THAT PRYOR HAD GROWN HIS LEAD TO 10%. MOST OF THE PREVIOUS POLLS -- I BELIEVE SIX OUT OF SEVEN LATELY HAD PRYOR WITH SLIGHT LEAD USUALLY WITHIN BROUGHT UP A HUGE DEBATE ABOUT THE LEGITACY OF THIS POLL. THEY LOOKED AT OTHER FACTORS LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE SAID THEY ACTUALLY VOTED IN 2012, THE NUMBER OF FOR THE PRESIDENT VERSUS MITT ROMNEY, AND ESSENTIALLY A KEY PART OF IT WAS SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN ARKANSAS IN THIS IDVOTED FOR ROMNEY THAN THE OTHERS. ROMNEY WON THE STATE BY 24% AND IN THIS IT WAS JUST A FEW VOTES DIFFERENT AND THAT BROUGHT UP A DEBATE WHEN PEOPLE -- WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LOSING CANDIDATEYELTITHAT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY VOTED FOR THAT PERSON. SOMETIMES THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT BUT ANYWAY IT REALLY GIVE A MARK PRYOR AND COTTON ISN'T PICK YOU GO UP A LOT OF TRACTION.

AND THE BASIS WAS BASED IN FOUR STATES AND FOUR SENATORS AT RISK INCLUDING MR. PRYOR RNDEALING WITH HEALTH CARE REFORM AND THE SURVEY AND DEALING WITH VALIDITY AND SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT THE ANTI-CARE, ACA FUROR IS SUBSIDING A LITTLE BIT.

THOSE FOUR STATE, AND IN ADDITION WIDE AS WELL, BUT NOT AS MUCH IN ARKANSAS. THERE IS MORE AN TIPATHY TO AMA AFFORDABLE CARE AARKANSAS THAN OTHER STATES AND IT'S REFLECTED IN THE POLL.

AND KEEP IT AND REPEAL IT IS JUST NECK AND NECK.

THAT'S WHAT THE POLLS SHOW AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN YOU ASK PEOPLE DO U FA OBAMACARE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN FAIRLY DECISIVELY NEGATIVE BUT NOW IT'S FAIRLY CLOSE. WHEN THEY ASK PEOPLE DO YOU WANT TO THROW IT OUT ALL TOGETHER? DO YOU WANT TO REPEAL OBAMACARE OR THE AFFORDABLE CACT SLIGHTLY MORE SAY THEY DON'T WANT TO THROW IT OUT, -- THEY WOULD SAY YEAH FIX IT. IT HAS PROBLEMS FIX IT BUT DON'T REPEAL IT.

48-46.

YEAH, AND I THINK NUMBER. TH NOT A ARKANSAS FIGURE I THINK. THAT'S IN THE FOUR STATES.

I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK BUT I THINK IT MAY BE ARKANSAS BUT THEY'RE BURIED IN THE CROSS TO BEES THAT I WERE GIVING ARKANSAS RESPONDENTS A CHOICE, FOUR OPTIONS AND THE TOP TWO CAME BACK. DO YOU WANT TO EXPAND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS MEDICAID TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE OR USE ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE DO YOU WANT TO USE FEDERAS E INSURANCE FOR PEOPLE AND THOSE TWO COMBINED WERE 75%.

AND THAT'S OBAMACARE. THOSE TWO ISSUES -- THOSE TWO REMEDIES ARE OBAMACARE. ALL THE THE ISSUES IN OBAMACARE ARE HIGHLY FAVORABLE AND THE ELEMENTS OF IT BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES EXPANDING MEDICAID OR PROVIDING TAX SUBSIDIES TO THESE RANCE. ARE THE TWCONTROVERSIAL FEATURES OF OBAMACARE AND THE POLLS SHOW WHEN YOU ASK THOSE QUESTIONS THEY LOVE IT. THAT'S WHAT THEY FAVOR DOING, SO AS WE TALKED BEFORE THE SHOW IT'S ALL ABOUT THE QUESTION HOW YOU FRAME THE QUESTIONS, AND AGAIN HOW YOU FRAME ADS.

WOULD WE -- I -- WE WOULD BE DRAWING TOO MUCH OF A CONCLUSION BY SUGGESTING THOSE NUMBERS INDICATE THAT LSAYING OKAY DO S DON'T DO NOTHING. THEY HAD MAYORS, COUNTY JUDGES, ADDER MAN, PARTICULARLY IN THE LESS POPULATED PARTS OF THE STATE AND POINTING TO THE LOCAL OIL, ON LIFE SUPPORT, AND THEY'RE WANTING IT. THIS CAN'T CONTINUE. THESE HOSPITALS CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO THE UNREIMBURSED CARE. IN THE MEANTIME YOUR MS I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS BEEN A RECOGNITION THAT THE SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING AND NEEDED SOME KIND OF REPAIR. YOU KNOW I THINK WE HAVE KNOWN AS WELL AS MORE PEOPLE ENGAGE WITH THE SYSTEM AND GET ENROLLED AND HOW IT WORKS THERE MAYBE A DIFFERENT OUTCOME, THEIR ATTITUDES MAY CHANGE ABOUT OBAMACARE, SO THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS IN PLAY THERE BUT REPUBLICANS AGAIN WILL POINT OUT "NHVE TO SHOW AND THEN IT'S STILL DICEY FOR CERTAIN SENATORS IN CERTAIN STATES. NORTH CAROLINA KAY HAGAN CLOSE RACE THERE. MARY LANDRIEU IN LOUISIANA -- YOU CAN'T HAVE ENOUGH REPUBLICANS LINING UP AN OBAMAC-- YOU KNOW, A CANDIDATE'S SUPPORT OF OBAMACARE STILL IS A DECIDING FACTOR IN AN ELECTION, AND THAT'S WHY PRYOR'S CDEMOCRATS ARE CAWITH IT EVEN THOUGH OTHERS IN THE COUNTRY RASTARTING TO STAY MAYBE WE SHOULD TRUMP THE SUCCESSES AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES US IN THE STY FOR TAKING THE U.S. SENATE AND EXPANDING THE BASE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. I SAW A REPORT FROM AN ORGANIZATION THAT TRACKS ALL OF THE POLITICALADS IN THE COUNTRY AND IT SAID ALL THE REPUN ADS IN THE COUNTRY AND ALL THE CONGRESSIONAL RACES FOR THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 76% OF THOSE ATTACK OBAMACARE AND I SUSPECT WAY SO OBAMA AND OBAMACARE IS THE STRATEGY. NOW THAT MIGHT BE CHANGING. THESE SURVEYS THROWING THE POLLS -- IT MAY REFLECT PEOPLE ARE GETTING TIRED OF OBAMACARE. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER PEOPLE GET TIRED ADOT A E STRATEGY AND STILL THE STRATEGY.

AND ASA HUTCHINSON'S FIRST AD IS TALKING ABOUT NANCY PELOSI AND OBAMA AND OBAMACARE. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST IT AND GETT HIM TO TALKTHE PRIVATE OPTION WAS A CHALLENGE FOR MONTHS.

DIDN'T THE SAME POLL SHOW THAT ASA HUTCHINSON HAS A SLIGHT LEAD OVER MIKE ROSS.

RIGHT.

AND THE SAME POLL SHASA HUON WITH A ONE POINT LEAD AND CLEARLY IN THE MARGIN OF LAW IN THE RACE FOR ARKANSAS.

WE KNOW THAT THE JUNIOR SENATOR OF ARKANSAS IS A REGULAR VIEWER OF OUR BROADCAST SO YOU'RE WATCHING A HEART FELT GET WELL SOON AND HAD A HEART SCARE AND WHEN THE COLLEAGUES IN WASHINGTON AND PARTICULARLY THE REPUBLICAN IN FACT COMMITTEE TC LEADER WHEN HE SAYS GET WELL SOON THEY'RE SIN VERABOUT THAT.

YEAH FOR A SENATOR TO VOTE FOR THE MEASURE THE SENATOR HAS TO BE THERE. THEY CAN VOTE BY PROXY FOR SOME MEASURES BUT THEY NEED SENATOR BOOZMAN THERE. THE WORD IS HE'S REICU AND INTO A PRIVATE ROOM AND THE ACUTE INFECTION AND INVOLVES A TEAR, A SERIOUS CONDITION BUT WORD IS SENATOR BOOZMAN IS MAKING A GOOD RECOVERY.

NEED HIM ARE NO SERIOUS VOTES COMING UP ALL YEAR LONG SO HE CAN HAVE A CASUAL AND LENGTHY RECOVERY I THINK AND THEY WON'T MISS HIM ISS HIM BUT THE VOTE IS NOT NECESSARY TO KEEP THE REPUBLICANS -- [INAUDIBLE]

GIVEN THAT SHE TOOK HIM TO THE HOSPITAL IN THE EARLY HOURS MRS. BOOZTO A NICE MOTHERS DAY. AND WITH THAT WE'RE OUT OF TIME. THANKS TO YOURS AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

"ARKANSAS WEEK" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY TH "ARKANSAS TIMES" KEEPING YOU INFORMED BY COVERING PEOPLE, EVENTS, AND POLITICS IN ARKANSAS. BY FM 89 KUAR LITTLE ROCK WITH IN DEPTH NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION EACH WEEKDAY.